THE CURE (published version)

SunStar Davao | September 20, 2009

All her life, Caridee had been brought up inside the huge walls of their garden. Her father never took care of her; he hired nurses and servants to look after Caridee and yet he never let these servants have conversations with his child. He never allowed Caridee to play beyond the walls of their garden; in fact, she never had the chance to see what kind of life existed beyond that wall. He never showed love and care for his only child. He spent all his time in the basement, immersed in woodcraft.

Caridee’s father said that her mother died in childbirth. The flowers inside the garden were the only friends that Caridee had. She felt alone inside the walls of their garden.

One sunny afternoon, Caridee was in the garden playing alone when suddenly, she heard a crash near the fountain. It was an angel. Its grey wings radiated feathers with tiny crystals on their edges; the crystals seem to be the reason why the angel seems to glow, despite the lack of majesty in the color of its wings. Filled with wonder, Caridee approached the angel.

She walked towards the angel and reached out.

“You’ve touched my wings,” the angel said. “Do you know what that means?”

“No. Did I do something wrong?”

“Not at all, child; but now it means that you have to help me.”

“But I am only a child. I cannot do much,” protested Caridee.

“I understand. I need you to help me find the cure for my wings. My master told me that the cure for my dying wings can only be found in your world,” replied the angel. “I am afraid that one day my master will no longer want my service when he sees that an angel with no wings is useless.”

“I don’t think I can help you, as much as I want to. You see I am not allowed to go outside the walls of this garden. My father is afraid that the outside world will be too much for me to handle,” Caridee explained.

“All right then,” the angel sighed. “But you have to understand that I can no longer last for more than a day, I badly need your help.”

Caridee was overcome with fear for her newfound friend.

“I will try, but I need you to help me climb the walls of our gardens. We’ll wait after my father locks all the doors of the house,” whispered Caridee. “Only after that can we leave.”

At night, Caridee and the angel managed to climb the walls of her father’s garden. Caridee was amazed with all the things that she saw beyond the walls of their gardens. She saw many street lamps, children who rode bicycles and with their mothers running after them.

“I never thought how beautiful it is, to be free,” said Caridee while grasping the hand of the angel. “And to be able to share it with a friend.”

The angel glittered after feeling the touch of the blissful child but they did not waste time and began searching for the cure for his wings which is starting to shed off. The tiny crystals on the edges of its wings had almost gone. The color of the wings was slowly fading away. Caridee was deeply agitated at this sight. A tear fell on her cheek.

“Don’t worry my child. I may not have known you for so long but I want you to remember that whatever happens I will always think of you. You did all you could to help me, and I’ll always be thankful for that,” said the angel while wiping the tears away. “You are my friend.”

Caridee felt very hopeless since they had already spent five hours looking for the cure. She was about to give up all hope when she looked around and saw a beautiful flower at the other end of the road. She hurried ran to the flower, thinking that this could be the cure for her friend’s dying wings. The angel ran after Caridee for he saw that there was a bus swiftly approaching.

“Caridee, wait for me! Please stop! Please!” called the angel.

But Caridee, so eager to get to the flower on the other side of the road, didn’t hear.

The angel felt on his knees and placed Caridee’s motionless body on his lap. He kissed the child’s forehead and cried.

“Did you know that this is going to happen?!” shouted the angel towards the sky. “She was just a child! I should have known, you fooled me.”

There was a flash of light in the sky. Heavy rain began to pour. The angel, still holding on to the motionless body of Caridee, held his face towards the sky and felt the rain touch his face.

“I’ll bring you home my child,” whispered the angel to Caridee.

The angel stood up and did not dare to look behind him but he felt power return. He stretched his white wings with the radiating feathers and the tiny crystals on their edges; the crystals made the angel glow.

Caridee’s father enjoyed the heavy rain with a glass of wine. He was staring out the window when he saw this magnificent creature ascending. He squinted to see better, and was dumbfounded when he saw Caridee being carried towards to sky by this glowing angel.

“My child,” whispered her father. A tear rolled down his cheek. “Haven’t I protected you enough?”

With special thanks to our Literature professor, Mr. Dominique Gerald Cimafranca, for helping me get my short story published on the local newspaper (Sun Star Davao).

POSITIVE ATTITUDE

With my groupmate inside the ICU Burn Unit of Southern Philippines Medical Center

I remember when I was assigned at the Burn Department - Intensive Care Unit 11pm to 7am shift. It was very stressful because the patient I was assigned to was in a very critical condition and I am expected to do everything for that particular patient including suctioning his endotracheal tube almost every minute to prevent aspiration, obtaining all his vital signs every 15 minutes to check if he's condition is stable, drain his urine from the urine bag every 15 minutes to see how his kidney is functioning as well as his hydration status, feed him through his nasogastric tube every 2 hours, administer tons of his medications.

The experience was really exhausting, that I was not able to leave the patient the entire shift and I was not able to eat or drink. But I was able to handle it for three consecutive days because I put into my thoughts that if not me, then who else is going to do these things for the patient. I was assigned to him; therefore I am responsible for him. Everything I did, I always thought of how fortunate I am that I was the one doing these things for him and not the other way around. I MAKE A GAME OF FINDING SOMETHING POSITIVE IN EVERY SITUATION, a thing I learned from self-help author Bryan Tracy. I learned from him that ninety-five percent of your emotions are determined by how you interpret events to yourself.

AN UNCLE'S GOODBYE

The Seaside. This is where he used to bring us when me & Kamil were still young.

Josh, Kamil & Tito Nonoy during our vacation in Zamboanga City 2009.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.

And now, that is the only thing I can do – to reminisce about those times when we were together, your laugh echoes in my mind, your smile as the last beautiful thing I’ve seen since we left Zamboanga City. I am glad that we were able to be with you and Tito Nap after 10 years of being apart, and happier that at least somehow we were able to show you how much we love you.

I can still recall those nights when we were still young, and you would bring us near the seashore and allow us to play as much as we want. You made us feel free since no one else was as lax and loose as you are. You did not scold us when we stumble and get hurt you just simply tell us that it’s alright to get hurt. You did not tell us what to do and what not to do. I won’t forget those times when you would sleep beside us and let us play with your right arm, which you would sometimes use to get us to sleep (since you know that we get scared at times with your “snake” arm).

And we spent our vacation in Zamboanga last year; you were the one who fetch me from the port. When we were about to go back, you brought me and Kamil back to the pier, and didn’t leave until the ferry left. It hurts whenever I remember that exact moment, leaving Zamboanga – leaving the people we love.

You taught us how to live life to the fullest, to think of our every experience as an opportunity to grow up. You taught us how to live life in simplicity and to love unconditionally. And those lessons will never be forgotten along with the memories we had together. We love you so much Tito Nonoy!

Wherever you are, I know that you are happier – to be with the One who gave you to us, along with Lolo Johnny, Lola Gloria, Tito Gener and Mommy. Please send our love to heaven.

THE FOUR OF US

The four of us together - daddy, mommy, me & kamil.

A few days from now, we will be celebrating your birthday. Kamil and I are planning to get you a yellow dress since yellow is your favorite color. Daddy will go home early from the office and prepare his own surprise for you, a huge bouquet of white roses.

At 5pm, the three of us – Me, Daddy and Kamil will be waiting for you at home. At 5:30pm, we will hear the sound of the two bells dangling from your keychain as you turn the doorknob open. You find your way in and turn on the lights. Then a tear falls from your eyes. You are overwhelmed to see the three of us happily smiling and singing our own version of the Happy Birthday Song for you. You’ll come closer to us, the four of us holding on to each other tightly, the four of us TOGETHER.

That is how your 50th birthday ought to be celebrated, the four of us together, inseparable, filled with so much joy and so much love. But He took you away from us when you were 37.

I know that day will come when I can feel your loving arms once again, when I can stare at your gentle eyes and get lost as you whisper my name and tell me how much I mean to you.

I just want to let you know that you were never forgotten. You will always and forever be in our hearts. I miss you. Happy Birthday Mommy!

BLANK SPACES

Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.

At first, I thought I was just lost and so I was trying to find my way but I ended up walking along the path of doubt and uncertainty.

At first, I thought I was in search of something to fill in the blank spaces in my life. In the long run, I ended up hurting the one whom, in the first place, I was trying to protect.

At first, I was filled with doubts for I do not know what is it that I am really looking for. But the times we spent together made me realize one thing. That I wasn't really looking for something. I was longing for someone.

I was longing for someone who will be there whenever the sun doesn't show,
someone who will tuck me in the night especially when it's cold outside,
someone who will understand my weaknesses and appreciate my strengths,
someone who will laugh at my silly jokes even if it isn't funny at all,
someone who will stay by my side when there's a thousand other better places to be,
someone who will not mind being with me despite what others might think,
someone who will trust me though everyone around do not agree,
someone who will take me as I am, for who I am, and for what I may become.

And time had made me realized that I was wrong for believing that there is still something lacking in my life. Time had taught me that the blank spaces I was trying to fill, had long been filled in – the moment you let me love you.